Wānaka’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott made history this morning (January 25) at the 2025 Aspen X Games, landing a ‘never been done before’ backside triple corked 1440 in the women’s snowboard slopestyle competition.This takes her career total X Games medal count to a staggering 11 medals, of which six are gold.An emotional Zoi said she was “just stoked to be here” following an ankle injury that sidelined her in 2024.“Being able to do that run, which is a dream run of mine I never thought was possible, it means the world to me to be back here at X Games,” Zoi said.“Honestly, I didn’t know if I would be on the podium again going through this injury, so to be back here in the mix with the girls and to be part of the progression means so much to me and to win this comp, I can’t even believe it.”With clear, calm weather in Aspen, Zoi came out swinging in the playoffs, and laced together a solid rail section before putting down her switch backside 1260 (which she only debuted last weekend at the LAAX Open) then stomping back-to-back double corked 1080s on the last two jumps. Scoring a 92.33, she cruised through to the final round with ease. Zoi kicked it up a gear in the finals, putting down a huge backside triple corked 1440 on the third and final jump, making history as the first women (ski or snowboard) to ever land a triple cork in a slopestyle competition. “I am just stoked to be here, and a big congrats to everyone, we got such epic conditions to ride here today so I am just so grateful,” Zoi said.With a huge score of 94.66 Zoi was untouchable for the remainder of the competition and took the win. Kokomo Murase of Japan and Great Britain’s Mia Brookes joined her on the podium in second and third respectively.X Games Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle Podium. [L-R] Kokomo Murase (JPN) in 2nd, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL) in 1st, Mia Brookes (GBR) in 3rd. Full results here.PHOTOS: Joshua Duplechian / X Games

The Hāwea Community Association (HCA) has a new chair, new Lake Hāwea resident Dave Currie.Dave, who describes himself as a “recent arrival from Raglan”, has lived in the township for three years.He said his background is in managing a wide range of companies and not-for-profit organisations, and he had worked extensively in sport administration.“I am passionate about the environmental legacy we will leave our grandchildren, how...we retain the essence of what draws us all here to this very special place while accommodating the inevitable growth that will take place,” he told residents in a community newsletter.“Working collectively, collaboratively and developing strong partnerships with all groups who call this place home seems to me to be important.”“Hāwea is a special place, it's worth advocating for,” he said.Dave has bought a house in Lake Hāwea and has enjoyed developing a native garden, helping out with plantings around the lake foreshore and enjoying the walking and mountain bike trails in the area.Dave said the new HCA committee intends to launch an updated website by the end of February “to develop an easy means of harnessing community input”. The first community session is planned for March 15, 2025.Dave acknowledged the energy, time and commitment that former HCA chair Cherilyn Walthew committed to the position over the past few years.PHOTO: Supplied

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) is encouraging hunters to get fit before the roar this year to reduce injuries that could last well beyond the season. The ‘roar’ hunting season (in March and April) marks the time of year when stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of hinds, and hunters head out in large numbers for the best hunting of the year.Around Wānaka the hunting area comprises 20,000 hectares in the Craigie, Albert, Minaret and Rumbling Burn western tributaries of the lake and Mt Burke to the east of the lake.During the roar, the number of severe hunting injuries doubles compared to an average month, with 40 percent of severe injuries to the knee and shoulder.A recent survey of MSC’s Adventure Voice outdoor research community also found one in seven hunters have suffered an injury due to a lack of fitness or fatigue and more than one-third have struggled on a hunt due to their lack of fitness. MSC chief executive Mike Daisley said hunters should assess their fitness now.“Many Kiwis hunt all year round and maintain a good level of fitness, but for those who have taken a break over winter and spring, now is the time to get active,” he said.“A severe hunting injury results in an average of 76 days off work, so it’s wise to do the groundwork and avoid injuries if you can.” Being fit has other real benefits too. Of the hunters surveyed, 83 percent said being fit helped them have a more enjoyable time, while 73 percent said it enabled them to cover more ground or challenging terrain.  MSC has designed a free #ROARfit guide to help hunters build their endurance and strength, and plan a successful hunt.“The key is to choose an exercise you like, start small, go regularly and build up slowly, especially if you’re out of practice. A great way to train or maintain your fitness is to walk, tramp or go on shorter hunting trips,” Mike said.Having a clear plan for the day of the hunt is also crucial. Plan My Walk is a free trip planning tool that allows hunters to customise routes and gear lists, and build a trip plan that’s easy to share with their hunting party.Mike said MSC was excited to be partnering with ACC for a third consecutive year to encourage hunters to ‘Have a hmmm’ during the roar season. “Have a hmmm involves slowing down, taking your time to choose a safe route, being aware of terrain traps, like bluffs, and watching your footing. These are all crucial steps to stay safe on a hunt,” Mike said.PHOTO: Cam Mackay

Wānaka’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (23) has added a 10th X Games medal to her collection, taking home the bronze in the Women’s Snowboard Big Air at the 2025 Aspen X Games today (January 24).Eight of the world’s top female riders were invited to compete at the Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air. The format meant all eight athletes competed against each other in the playoffs, with the top four advancing to the finals.Zoi made quick work of the playoff round, putting down a backside triple 1440 drunk driver grab which was enough to carry her through to the final.In the final the riders were required to stomp one huge trick with the single highest score taking the win. Zoi was the first to drop putting down “one of the scariest tricks”, a triple 1440, going huge and sending it deep down the landing, posting a 92.66 which was her best score of the night. Sitting in bronze medal position with Mia Brookes (Great Britain) next to drop, Zoi had a nervous wait. Mia put down an impressive run but it wasn’t enough to knock Zoi off the podium. Anna Gasser of Austria claimed the victory, making her the female athlete with the most X Games Big Air Gold Medals in history. Japan’s Reira Iwabuchi took second place, repeating her performance from the 2024 X Games Big Air. Today’s event marked the first of six X Games events. Next up is the women’s snowboard slopestyle which will feature Zoi, set to start at 7am Saturday morning NZT (January 25).PHOTO: Joshua Duplechian / X Games

An open-sided four wheel drive vehicle (ATV) was left half submerged in the Hāwea River on Thursday (January 23) after its driver attempted to cross the river.Police received a call at 12.20pm to say a man was stuck on the top of an ATV in the Hāwea River, at the mouth to the Clutha/Mata-Au River.“Police arranged for a jet boat to rescue the man, however he jumped off the ATV and swam to shore before the jet boat arrived,” a police spokesperson said.“The jet boat operator tied the ATV to a tree to stop it floating away.”Witnesses Rhian Telfer and Luka Cowan (both 16) arrived on the scene soon after the man entered the river.“When we got there he was obviously distressed, yelling out for a rope and saying ‘help, help, go across the swing bridge’,” Rhian told the Wānaka App.The pair biked across the Hāwea swing bridge and towards the river for about 20 minutes until they reached the man, who had just reached the shore.By then there were two police officers on the opposite shore of the Clutha/Mata-Au River, and Luka went across to them in the jet boat to explain what had happened while Rhian remained with the man, whom she estimated to be in his mid-60s.“I stayed with the guy who was starting to walk to the swing bridge. He was starting to insist he didn’t want any help,” she said, adding the man was “obviously very weak and cold” and in a state of shock.Rhian gave him some food and walked with him towards the swing bridge where police were then waiting.“He told me he lived in a bus; he didn’t have a driver’s licence and so he [used] the buggy,” she said.“The police told me he was known to them.”Rhian said it was unclear why the man had tried to cross the river, but he told her he had done it before.The police spokesperson said it was the owner's responsibility to recover the ATV.PHOTO: Rhian Telfer

Wānaka’s five-time Winter Paralympian Adam Hall claimed his second World Cup podium finish of the 2024/25 snowsports season with a second place finish at the FIS Para Alpine Slalom World Cup held in Feldberg, Germany overnight.Adam had recorded fifth and seventh-place finishes during the previous two days of competition. “I am really stoked to be back on the podium today, I have been really proud of my skiing and seeing the work that we have been doing in training transfer into the race environment is what I am most happy about,” Adam said.“It’s been exciting this season to see so many of the top guys skiing hard and fighting hard for the podium.”Adam pushed out of the start gate for his first run and charged down the course with his trademark millimetre precision, putting down a fantastic top to bottom run and clocking the second fastest run one time of the day in his category.A dynamic and fast second run wasn’t enough to take the top spot from winner Arthur Bauchet of France who claimed his third win in as many days. His compatriot Oscar Burnham rounded out the podium in third. Today’s event marks roughly halfway through Adam’s competition season. He is currently in second place in the Para Alpine Slalom World Cup standings.Men’s standing podium. [L-R] Adam Hall (NZL) 2nd, Arthur Bauchet (FRA) 1st, Oscar Burnham (FRA) 3rd. Adam’s next event is at the Kranjska Gora Para Alpine Slalom World Cup in early March.PHOTOS: Tom Weller / 24passion.

Residents and visitors in the district are being urged to reduce their water usage as hot, dry weather and high demand are putting pressure on the region's water supply.Restrictions may be needed as early as next week if the situation doesn't improve, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) infrastructure operations manager Simon Mason said.Wānaka, Hāwea and Luggate are among the areas where water is being used faster than it can be produced during peak periods.“In the event that the network continues to come under strain, temporary restrictions are likely to be required for properties connected to council’s potable water supply, helping to safeguard water supplies for the event of an emergency like a wildfire,” Simon said.“We’ll continue monitoring the situation but are now asking our communities to proactively make a few simple changes to reduce water use and help us to keep it flowing this summer.”The biggest water saving efforts at home can be made when watering lawns or gardens, by minimising the use of sprinklers or irrigation generally, and only watering late at night to avoid the worst of the day’s heat and the busy morning and evening periods when water demand is at its highest.Other effective tips include saving up to 20 litres of water for every minute cut from time spent in the shower, and the simple act of turning off the tap while brushing teeth or shaving to save another 10 litres for every minute.Another important step is to fix water leaks around the home and to notify council of any leaks on public land, helping to stop water that’s been treated, stored, and then piped across town ending up in the gutter and heading down a storm drain and straight back to the lake or river.“These small steps can help us avoid restrictions,” Simon said.The long-range forecast suggested more hot and dry conditions to come for the district despite a few sporadic showers forecast over the next seven days, he said, and this is likely to lead to more water being used to keep gardens growing and lawns green, and the growing likelihood of restrictions being required.How the different water restriction levels work:Water alert level 0: No water restrictions, but please use water wisely at all times.Water alert level 1: Hand-held hosing kept to a minimum at any time. Sprinklers only from midnight to 6.00am.Water alert level 2: Hand-held hosing kept to a minimum at any time. No sprinklers at any time, and no contractor water takes.Water alert level 3: No use of outside water systems, no sprinklers or hand-held hoses at any time, and no contractor water takes.Residents and visitors can check out a range of tips and tricks to play their part and help save water at home here.PHOTO: Supplied

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the government wants tourism "turned on big time internationally" in response to the Queenstown mayor's call for more funding for the sector.He has pointed to the government's city and regional deals policy as a way ensuring support.Responding to the new Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis' comments on boosting tourism, Mayor Glyn Lewers said visitor numbers in the area were already high, but tourism's social licence had taken a hit with locals."I would expect a very serious investment in actually accommodating those visitors because a small ratepayer base cannot sustainably keep supporting the tourism industry," he said.Glyn Lewers PHOTO: RNZ / Niva ChittockSpeaking after his State of the Nation speech in Auckland, Luxon told reporters it would not be a case of history repeating itself."We're actually going to have legislation in the House this year on our final RMA solution because we're moving with pace and we can move with pace."We are not going to apologise because this country desperately needs growth."We're powering up our sectors to say 'yes', because actually that's the stuff that people actually want to know. Go talk to some of the businesses as I have in Queenstown about what's it been like when we've had suppressed tourism numbers."We were slow coming out of the gates, we lost a lot of our wholesale relationships in tourism. I want that turned on big time internationally and I want to be able to welcome visitors here. We can manage value and volume, we can manage regional dispersal and we can manage seasonality and I think we can manage that really well."Luxon said there was also a roading package for Queenstown and other investment into South Island infrastructure."But the bigger opportunity is actually what we call the city and regional deals and actually as the councils - particularly they're working often with their adjacent councils ... we're expecting them to say what do they think are the most pressing things that over the next 10 years actually would enable this region to grow faster."For a place like Queenstown, I get it, there's been challenges in the past around accommodation for workers, there's roading and infrastructure challenges as a result - but what we need is actually central and local government to work together in a partnership through the construct of a city or a regional deal."

The organisers of Winter Games NZ have announced the end of the largest snowsports event in the southern hemisphere.First held in 2009, the long-running event aimed to provide a world-class platform for winter sports athletes and help New Zealand competitors reach the global stage. Over 11 editions, it attracted more than 600 athletes from more than 40 nations, competing in various disciplines at local venues including the Snow Farm, Cardrona Alpine Resort, and Treble Cone.Wānaka’s Gustav Legnavsky competing in the Freeski FIS ANC Halfpipe at the Winter Games in 2022. PHOTO: Sean BealeIn a statement, Winter Games NZ attributed the decision to “adverse economic conditions” that have undermined the financial viability of continuing the event in its current form. “While this decision marks the end of an era, the legacy of Winter Games NZ will live on,” Winter Games NZ chief executive Marty Toomey said.Over the years, many New Zealand athletes achieved significant milestones at the event, including earning their first FIS or FWT points, securing FIS World Cup starts, and winning FIS Junior World Championship titles, Marty said. The ‘Games’ also helped athletes gain points towards Olympic, Paralympic, and Freeride World Tour qualification.Winter Games has attracted top snowsports athletes from all over the world. Pictured is the Parade of Nations in 2023. PHOTO: Lennon Bright PhotographyEach edition of Winter Games NZ generated significant economic benefits across the Southern Lakes, allowed Kiwis to witness some of the world’s best winter sports athletes in action and showcased New Zealand to the world through global media reach.“While it is with a heavy heart that we share this news, we are immensely proud of what has been achieved over the last 15 years and we are grateful for each and every person who has contributed to the legacy that Winter Games NZ will leave behind,” Winter Games NZ chairman Dr Sam Hazledine said.Although pathway events have ended, the trust behind Winter Games NZ is exploring options for its legacy fund, which could include hosting a non-pathway event in the future, Sam said.Winter Games NZ extended its thanks to the groups, organisations, businesses, and individuals who supported the event over the years.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are making enquiries at the site of a helicopter crash which occurred on Tuesday (January 21).There were no fatalities in the crash, which occurred 7.4km east of Gladstone, Lake Hāwea, around 3.30pm, but two people were hospitalised with injuries.A representative from Maritime NZ Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCCNZ) said the organisation received an alert from an aircraft emergency location transmitter.“RCCNZ contacted the helicopter operator, who advised that the helicopter had experienced a hard landing, injuring both the pilot and passenger,” the spokesperson said.“RCCNZ tasked the Queenstown Rescue Helicopter to the location and the rescue helicopter transported the injured persons to Dunedin Hospital for treatment.”Two CAA staff members were sent to Wānaka yesterday (Wednesday January 22) following the incident, a CAA spokesperson said.They are making initial inquiries, the spokesperson said.“We have staff on site and enquiries will continue over coming days to determine what happened, and next steps.”A police representative said the police were notified of the incident but later stood down because the RCCNZ was the lead agency.PHOTO: Wānaka App

The government will need to get its chequebook ready if it plans to welcome more tourists to our shores, the mayor of Queenstown says.The new Minister for Economic Growth Nicola Willis has set her sights on a wealthier economy, and says attracting more tourists would help to make that happen."I want all tourists because, ultimately, it's not the government that decides how much a tourist spends when they come to New Zealand. That tourists will make that decision," she told RNZ."Our job is to make it easy for them to come in the door, easy for them to come to New Zealand, make this a really attractive destination and then when they get here, I've great faith in our tourism providers that they'll do everything that they can to get as many dollars out of those back pockets as possible."Her plan was to smooth our tourist visa requirements, boost overseas marketing, examine how the international visitor levy should be spent, and work with airlines to ensure tourism continued to grow.Minister for Economic Growth Nicola Willis. PHOTO: RNZ / Samuel RillstonePre-Covid, communities in popular destinations including Queenstown were under pressure from the influx of visitors.But Willis said communities wanted more people in employment and more cash in tills."There will be all sorts of arguments made against why people might not want more tourists in their town," she said."Our message is actually when we've got more tourists coming, more tourists spending, that's good for jobs, it's good for growth and it's good for the wealth of individual new Zealand families so that's what we're driving for."The Queenstown Lakes district has more tourists visiting now than it did before the pandemic.Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers. PHOTO: RNZ / Niva ChittockMayor Glyn Lewers said they were already delivering on the minister's goal."When I first started as the mayor, I think it was one resident night to every 30 visitor nights. It is now one to 47," he said."We support a big chunk of the visitor economy - the actual residents and the ratepayers here."He was on board with more growth, but said tourism's social licence had taken a hit with the locals, and they needed support to pay for roads and pipes to cope with additional visitors."If that is to increase, I would expect a very serious investment in actually accommodating those visitors because a small ratepayer base can not sustainably keep supporting the tourism industry, especially when those GST receipts or the economic, financial growth that we create is sent up to Wellington," he said.Willis said she wanted to work with communities to tackle those challenges.Tourism is at about 82 percent of its pre-Covid visitor levels.Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said there were definitely opportunities to grow especially outside of the peak summer season."It's also important to ensure that we're investing in New Zealand to make sure that the growth that we do receive occurs in a balanced way," she said."When I talk about balance, what I'm talking about is the fact that we include economic, community and environmental considerations when thinking about how we want to grow."But it was not just the tourism industry that needed to get on board with growth."Tourism funding has been a hot topic for many, many years and if we're wanting to really supercharge tourism in New Zealand, I think we should also be thinking about how we ensure that our communities and our local government partners have got the funds that they need to ensure that that growth is well planned for and well managed on the ground," she said.Ingram said the industry was ready to roll up its sleeves and roll out the welcome mat, but it needed to be balanced and sustainable growth.Willis did not rule out boosting Tourism New Zealand's funding, but said the first step would be examining how it was using its existing funding and if it was the best use of the funds.The new Tourism and Hospitality Minister would be urgently engaging with the industry to figure out how to make her goal happen and which markets should be targeted, Willis said.But she would like to see Chinese tourists back to pre-Covid levels - arrivals were sitting at 60 percent for the year to October.

The Upper Clutha is well placed to manage its wastewater, despite ongoing problems with one of Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) wastewater systems, the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), deputy mayor Quentin Smith says.QLDC is responsible for providing the reticulation and treatment of wastewater on behalf of its residents and ratepayers, before returning the water to the environment. The Shotover WWTP, located in Frankton, has attracted attention in media recently for persistent ponding within the field, along with periodic spillover of treated water beyond the designated site.Quentin told the Wānaka App the Upper Clutha’s Project Pure wastewater system, however, “generally performs well”.“The system is not the same as that used at Shotover. Last year we completed a third Project Pure reactor and we have plenty of appropriate land available for disposal,” he said.Deputy mayor Quentin Smith: “Ratepayers just can’t continue to pick up the bill”.Quentin noted that the council is “investing heavily” in wastewater upgrades.Read more: Bigger than Ben Hur: Multi-million dollar wastewater upgrades on the books“We are reasonably well-placed to service wastewater without causing the issues [Queenstown is] experiencing.”But the wider point is that Queenstown’s wastewater woes highlight QLDC is “going down the road of massive infrastructure deficit”, including in the Upper Clutha, he said.“We are under serious pressure and heading towards some big challenges.”He pointed to the Albert Town Bridge, which is “leading to a doubling of the wait times there and no real answer to the replacement”, as well as Lake Hāwea Special Housing Area Longview having its wastewater trucked to Project Pure each week.The completion of the project to join Lake Hāwea to Project Pure “is at least three years away”, Quentin said.Roading is “another big one”, he added. “We’re heading towards really bad congested roads that have no solutions. Are we going to accept that or think about how we provide public transport?”“We can’t continue to charge on with insufficient infrastructure, we need to get real about pressures. It’s not sufficient to just look at roads etc - we need to be keeping up with libraries, sports fields and other things our community wants.”Quentin said QLDC needs to take “a serious look” at its development contribution policy (the financial charge levied on new developments) to ensure that “growth is paying for growth”, as well as get “some serious support from central government”. “Ratepayers just can’t continue to pick up the bill.”The first full meeting of QLDC will take place next month, on Thursday February 13.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Wānaka police have been dealing with road policing during the past week, as well as a search and rescue effort on Mt Aspiring.Mt Aspiring rescueOn Sunday (January 19) a guided party of four activated their personal locator beacon on Mt Aspiring at 7.40pm.Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said two people in the group fell and one person sustained a minor ankle injury. “The Wānaka LandSAR team were deployed. The party was located 30m below the North West Ridge and were helicoptered out safely.” Dangerous driving, drink drivingAn incident of dangerous driving was witnessed and reported on the Cardrona Valley Road on Saturday (January 18).“At approximately 5:45pm … a member of the public reported a vehicle travelling north on Cardrona Valley Road crossing over a median strip and double yellow lines to overtake three motor vehicles,” Fi said. “A 22-year-old female has been charged with dangerous driving and will be appearing in Queenstown District Court.”Two cases of people driving with excess breath/blood alcohol (EBA) have been dealt with in the past week.A 29-year-old male was intercepted on the Wānaka Luggate Highway on Sunday (January 19) just after midnight with an EBA result of 651. On Friday (January 17) a 40-year-old male was intercepted on Sir Tim Wallis Drive at 4.34pm with an EBA result of 498.Busy roads expectedOtago Lakes Police are expecting an increase in international drivers between January 29 to February 9 as a result of Chinese New Year celebrations, the Burt Munro event, and Waitangi Day. “Police will have a strong focus on visiting drivers in the Southern area and will be supported by our road policing teams from Canterbury, Otago Lakes and Southland, with an aim of reducing road incidents and trauma between Mt Cook to Milford Sound,” Fi said.Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.PHOTO: Wānaka App

There is “a whole lot of content to come” from Wānaka History, which was launched yesterday (Wednesday January 22) at the Wānaka Library.Wānaka History is a creative initiative of the Upper Clutha History Society.Its goal is to “reach out and educate and tell stories,” society president Ed Waddington told the crowd at yesterday’s launch event.The Wānaka History website went live in December and it features a growing collection of information about local people, landmarks and history.Most of the written content on the website was created by “prolific author and forensic historian” Ken Allan over many years, Ed said.The website also features maps and images of Wānaka and its surrounds dating many years back.Wānaka History plans to continue to “expand the website,” Ed said, with the next addition set to be audio clips and interviews completed by the oral history group.  Another aspect of Wānaka History will be plaques, which will be installed in locations around the Upper Clutha. These will link via QR code to articles and information on the Wānaka History website.Ed described yesterday’s event as a “soft launch”.He thanked the many people and organisations who had contributed to Wānaka History.“It’s been a huge effort along the way”.Take a dive into local history at the Wānaka History website here.IMAGE: Wānaka History

Youth get ready for an exciting adventure with PULSE, a dynamic fitness programme delivered by Kāhu Youth in collaboration with the Fit Collective.When: February 28 - 11 April, Wednesday 7:00am - 8:25am & Friday 7:00am - 9:00am.Where: Kāhu Youth and various locations across Wānaka.Who: Year 9 & 10 students.Cost: Free! Early morning with Wānaka Fire BrigadePULSE, formerly known as BLAST, is a youth fitness programme designed to build resilience, strengths and foster positive relationships between youth and local community services. This programme is packed with unique fitness sessions led by community groups, including the Wānaka Police, Search and Rescue teams, Wānaka Fire Brigade, Wanaka FC Football, Sports Otago, and many more!Each session will be a unique experience, with its own theme and focus. Each morning session will be followed by a free nutritious breakfast before youth are dropped off at MAC to start the school day. Benefits for youth include:Build resilience, as you are supported to trying new things and get out of your comfort zone.Build connections, meet and engage with local community members who will guide and support you.Discover new interests, try a variety of activities from football to search and rescue exercises.Unforgettable Experiences, enjoy a variety of exciting physical activities tailored to challenge and inspire.New Interests: Discover activities that you might fall in love with, from football to rescue operations.Foster friendships, as you connect with your peers in a fun and supportive environment.At the end of the programme youth will put all their developed skills to the test and take part in a fun obstacle course before celebrating the completion of the programme with a special cooked breakfast.Youth building skills during the obstacle course.Interested? Please email [email protected] to express your interestPulse is made possible by the generous support of the Wānaka Lions Club.IMAGES: SuppliedPaetara Aspiring Central35 Plantation Road, Wānaka 9305

Bike Wānaka has raised concerns about people using motorbikes on local biking and walking trails.Club president Ewan Mackie told the Wānaka App that e-motorbikes, in particular, are “causing a lot of damage and represent an unacceptable risk”.Electric bikes, which have a small motor to assist pedalling, differ from e-motorbikes, which are fully propelled by a powerful motor.“The issue is that these e-motorbikes (and petrol motor bikes) travel at high speeds making them dangerous to bikers and walkers and the high speed of the wheels tears the tracks to pieces,” Ewan said.The infringement fine for riding motorbikes and e-motorbikes in public spaces such as parks, reserves and footpaths is $150.Riding them in public spaces without the correct license can add additional fines of up to $1,000.Bike Wānaka asked people who see e-motorbikes on local trails where they are prohibited to take photographs of them and report the incident to Queenstown Lakes District Council (03 443 0024).The club also asked parents of children with motorbikes or e-motorbikes to ensure they know the rules.PHOTO: Supplied

The Hāwea Community Association (HCA) is restarting a project for new ‘welcome’ signs for Lake Hāwea and Hāwea Flat.The original 1950s ‘Welcome to Hāwea’ sign was removed around eight years ago.A statement from the HCA said it had been attempting to create new signage for some time, but it had run into roadblocks over agreeing on designs.It was further delayed by the wait for the completion of the roundabout at the Hāwea Dam corner.Now the HCA is kicking off the project again and it is looking for Hāwea residents to join its ‘design group’ for the signs.The community association is also keen to hear from any members of the public who have ideas for the signs.The project was last considered in 2022.Early-stage concept designs were created which referenced local mountain ranges.One of the concept designs from the 2022 planning. IMAGE: SuppliedThe inclusion of a mountaineer was suggested in reference to Lake Hāwea resident Lydia Brady, who became the first woman to climb Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1988.There was also talk of including details which highlight the agricultural history of the area.Anyone with ideas for the project, or who wants to join the design group or get more information, can get in touch at [email protected]

It was a cold and windy day at the Lovelock Classic athletics meeting in Timaru on Saturday January 11, but Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Phoebe Laker powered ahead to win the Women’s Open 400m race by a wide margin of about 20m.Phoebe’s time of 56.20s was just 0.04s outside her personal best. “It was a staggeringly good run in the challenging conditions,” Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) senior coach Michael Beable told the Wānaka App.Phoebe finished 3.4 seconds ahead of second-place getter Esme Reid, whom she beat by just 0.04s during her second National Women’s U16 400m title in March 2024.Her time at Lovelock ranks Phoebe third nationally across all women’s grades for 2025, Michael said.“Under better conditions she could have been up to a second faster.”The cool weather was a factor in the results; it was below 16C and windy, which affected race times for events of one lap and more, making it difficult for athletes to set personal bests in these longer races, he said.The sprinters in the shorter events, on the other hand, thrived with the wind at their backs, producing some impressively quick times.Cody Armstrong (18), fresh out of MAC, won the Men’s Open C Grade 100m in a rapid 11.00s, setting a personal best by 0.29s. However, the wind (2.9m/s) exceeded the allowable 2m/s limit.Cody Armstrong winning the men’s 100m in a tight finish.Jackson Rogers, now based in Christchurch for his fourth year at Lincoln College and competing for perhaps his last time for local club, won the Men’s Open 200m in 21.30s (which would have been a PB by 0.06s except for the wind being over the legal limit). Other AAC athletes at Timaru included Ryan Young, who placed fifth in the Men’s Long Jump after experiencing runup issues; Georgie Bruce, who ran a season-best of 13.20s to finish third in the Women’s B Grade 100m, and also placed second in the B Grade 200m; and Cameron Armstrong (younger brother of Cody), who placed sixth in the Men’s D Grade 100m with a PB of 12.00s (though not wind-legal), as well as 12th in the Long Jump.The athletes have returned to some intense summer training sessions as they prepare for upcoming major meetings, including the Athletics Otago championships mid-February.Phoebe, Ryan, Jackson, and others will look to compete at one or more classic meetings in the North Island, including the Capital Classic in Wellington on January 29.PHOTOS: Supplied

A cabinet reshuffle this past weekend means a new Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Louise Upston, replacing Matt Doocey, who held the role since 2023.Prime minister Christopher Luxon announced the reshuffle on Sunday (January 19), which included former transport minister Simeon Brown to replace Dr Shane Reti as health minister.The PM said tourism and hospitality is “a critical industry for promoting growth and employment in regional New Zealand”.He said his refreshed team would be “focused on unleashing economic growth to make people better off, create more opportunities for business and help us afford the world-class health and education Kiwis deserve”.Louise said she was feeling honoured to have picked up the new role.“Tourism is so important for my electorate of Taupō and New Zealand,” she said. “It brings in billions of dollars from international visitors each year, right down to those little purchases that keep the local cafes and motels humming in our regions.”The switch to Simeon Brown for health minister has raised questions about his stance on the Dunedin Hospital rebuild.The PM said he had heard concerns from people that “they expect to see even more progress” in establishing targets and refreshing leadership in Health NZ to ensure they can access the care they need, when they need it.Health is a priority area in 2025, he said. “Simeon is an outstanding and diligent minister who has done an excellent job delivering on the Government’s priorities. Off the back of that performance, I have decided his skills are best placed to take leadership of our health system going forward.”PHOTOS: Supplied